How to Invest in JSE Top 40 Index

The JSE Top 40 Index is one of two major stock indices composed of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. In this article, we will take a look at the index, highlight its constituents and explain how to invest in JSE Top 40 index.

The information in this article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

What Is the JSE Top 40 Index?

The FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index, also referred to as the JSE Top 40 Index or the South Africa 40 Index, is a stock index which consists of the 40 largest companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) by market capitalisation.

As well as the JSE Top 40, there is also the JSE All Share Index, which represents 99% of the full market capitalisation of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), subject to minimum freefloat and liquidity requirements.

JSE Top 40 Companies List 2025

So, which companies have the honour of being included in the index? In the table below, we have compiled a list of the JSE Top 40 companies in 2025.

Source: TradingView – South Africa Top 40 Index Components. Date Captured: 7 August 2025. 

The index is reviewed quarterly – in March, June, September and December – at which point some companies may exit the index whilst others enter. 

If you are interested in trading or investing in the JSE Top 40, it can be helpful to keep up to date with which companies are in the index, as their individual performances drive the overall performance of the index. 

JSE Top 40 Index Chart

Below, we can see the JSE Top 40 index chart showing its long-term performance.

How to Invest in JSE Top 40

So, how can you go about investing in JSE Top 40?

If you want to gain exposure to the entire index, you could choose to invest in a mutual fund or an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) which passively tracks it.

These types of index funds pool investor capital in order to purchase shares in all the companies listed in the JSE Top 40, meaning that you can gain exposure to the entire index with a single investment.

Alternatively, if you are not interested in investing in all the JSE Top 40 companies, you could buy shares in the individual companies which interest you the most.

How to Trade JSE Top 40 Index

It’s also possible to trade the JSE Top 40 using Contracts for Difference (CFDs).

CFDs are a financial derivative product which can be used to speculate on the price of an underlying asset, in this case, the index. Unlike buying stocks, traders don’t take ownership of the underlying asset when using CFDs.

CFDs allow traders to attempt to profit from both rising and falling markets, meaning that you can use CFDs if you are feeling either bullish or bearish on the JSE Top 40 Index.

However, keep in mind that CFDs are complex instruments which come with a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage.

In order to start trading CFDs on the South Africa 40 Index, follow these steps:

• Open a Trade.MT5 account with Admiral Markets and log in to the Dashboard 
• Click ‘Trade’ next to your account details to open the Admiral Markets Platform 
• Search for the South Africa 40 Index and open the instrument page 
• On the right-hand side of the screen, enter the desired CFD volume and click ‘Buy’ or ‘Sell’ to send your order to the market! 

Trade Stock Index CFDs with Admiral Markets

With a Trade.MT5 account from Admiral Markets, you can trade CFDs on some of the most popular stock indices around the world, including the South Africa 40. Click the banner below to find out more:

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